Polemonium plant named ‘Polelodge’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Polemonium  plant named ‘Polelodge’, characterized by its basal clumping habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous green and yellow variegated leaves; small violet blue-colored flowers; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Polemonium reptans.

Cultivar denomination: ‘POLELODGE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPolemonium plant, botanically known as Polemonium reptans, commonlyknown as Jacob's Ladder and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Polelodge’.

The new Polemonium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, UnitedKingdom. The new Polemonium plant originated from an open-pollination inBattlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom of an unnamed selectionof Polemonium reptans, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent,with an unknown selection of Polemonium reptans as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Polemonium plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled nursery environment inBattlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom in May, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Polemonium plant by basal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex,United Kingdom since June, 2005 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Polemonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Polemonium have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Polelodge’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Polelodge’ as a new and distinct Polemoniumplant:

-   -   1. Basal clumping habit.    -   2. Dense and bushy appearance.    -   3. Numerous green and yellow variegated leaves.    -   4. Small violet blue-colored flowers.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Polemonium and the female parent selection differprimarily in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection havesolid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Polemonium can be compared to plants of Polemoniumreptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,187.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Polemonium and ‘Stairwayto Heaven’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Polemonium are taller and broader than        plants of ‘Stairway to Heaven’.    -   2. Plants of the new Polemonium and ‘Stairway to Heaven’ differ        in leaf color as plants of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ have white and        grey variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Polemonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Polemonium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a top perspective view of typicalflowering plants of ‘Polelodge’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Polelodge’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 5-liter containers and ground bedsin an outdoor nursery in Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom andunder cultural practices typically used in commercial Polemoniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 5° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from −6° C. to 15° C.Plants were 15 months old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2000 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Polemonium reptans ‘Polelodge’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Polemonium            reptans, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Polemonium            reptans, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By basal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at soil            temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures about 18°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 days            at soil temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures            about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 158C in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal clumping            habit; dense and bushy appearance; moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 60 cm to 70 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Compound with about eight to 20 leaflets per            leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 2 cm to 6 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptical.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.        -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces.—Pubescent; dull.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves (spring), upper and lower surfaces:            Variegated, close to 70A and 3B. Fully expanded leaves            (summer and autumn), upper and lower surfaces: Variegated,            close to 146C and 3C; occasionally during the summer, leaves            will be solid yellow, close to 3B or 3C; venation, close to            145D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            dull. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate flowers            arranged in compound cymes; flowers face mostly outwardly;            freely flowering habit with about 130 flowers developing per            plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants            flower continuously from May to July in the United Kingdom.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Smooth; dull. Color:            Close to 3B or 3C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 25 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny; dull. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 92C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 92D; venation, close to 92B; color does            not change with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:            About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; dull. Color: When opening, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 3B or 3C. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 3B to 3C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; dull. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to            16A. Anther size: About 3 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Tubular.            Anther color: Close to 16A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Light yellowish orange. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tubular.            Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style length: About 3 mm. Style            color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close to 150D.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About three. Length: About 3 mm.            Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Slightly rough. Color: Close            to 166D.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Polemonium have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind,    temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 30° C. and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Polemonium have been    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Polemonium plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Polemonium plant named ‘Polelodge’as illustrated and described.